A cornea can be damaged by injury, infection, or inherited degeneration. The loss of sight associated with corneal damage may be restored, in some cases, with surgical intervention. The following are available corneal procedures:

Phototherapeutic Ketatectomy

- This laser procedure is used to treat scarring of the corneal surface. The treatment, in most cases, can smooth out the surface scars and allow the patient to obtain better vision.
Penetrating Keratoplasty (Corneal Transplant )

- This surgical procedure uses donor tissue to replace the damaged cornea of the patient. The patients cornea is removed and the donor button is sewn into its place. In most cases the healing process can take up to one year and results in improved vision. When it is determined that a patient requires a transplant they are place on the recipient waiting list. The Eye Bank procures the donor cornea for transplantation and , as in any other transplant situation, the patient must wait until tissue is received for them. The waiting period cannot be determined by the physician or the Eye Bank.
Manual Debridement

- This in office procedure utilizes a brush to scrub of the defective surface of the cornea off in hopes that when it regenerates the new tissue will be smoother, allowing the patient to see better and be more comfortable.
DSAEK - Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty

- Dr. Carol Clemons and Dr. Russell Van Norman are the first surgeons in the Shreveport area to offer this cutting edge technology.
- This is an exciting new alternative to the traditional corneal transplant. Unlike traditional corneal transplants DSAEK does not require the complete replacement of the cornea.. In DSAEK the diseased endothelial layer is stripped away and replaced with donor tissue. The wound is sutured with only 2 to 3 sutures instead of the 16 to 18 required in the standard corneal transplant.

- Only patients with certain endothelial diseases, such as Fuch’s Dystrophy, are candidates for this new procedure. For those patients who are eligible this is a dramatic break through in the treatment of corneal disease.